The science behind one day
Our protocols are built on FDA-cleared neuromodulation and a fast-growing body of peer-reviewed accelerated-TMS research. Here is the evidence, in plain language, plus resources to help you decide with confidence.
The AMPA One System
AMPA is a new generation of neuromodulation technology: a portable, camera-guided TMS system that delivers precise magnetic pulses to the brain’s mood-regulating circuits. Its guidance system confirms the coil is on target throughout every session, so treatment is consistent, accurate, and reproducible, without the room-sized machines older TMS relied on.
- ✓FDA-cleared for Major Depressive Disorder in adults
- ✓Camera-guided precision: the system verifies target engagement in real time
- ✓Theta-burst stimulation: brief, efficient pulse patterns that make one-day protocols possible
- ✓No mind-altering drugs: non-invasive, no sedation, no anesthesia
FDA clearance, in plain terms
The AMPA One System is FDA-cleared (510(k) K243319, February 2025) for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in adult patients who have not gotten satisfactory improvement from prior antidepressant medication in their current episode.
It is a Class II device cleared alongside established theta-burst and deep-TMS predicate systems. TMS is FDA-cleared for depression; other conditions we work with are approached as evidence-informed care, individually assessed by our clinical team.
Weeks of treatment, delivered in a single day
Traditional TMS spreads treatment across six weeks of daily visits. Accelerated protocols compress that same therapeutic dose into brief, precisely spaced sessions in one window.
Accelerated theta-burst
Multiple short theta-burst sessions, spaced through the day, deliver a full course of stimulation to the brain’s mood circuitry, condensing weeks into one carefully managed day.
Precision targeting
Camera guidance keeps stimulation locked on the left prefrontal target, the region tied to mood regulation, so every pulse counts and results are consistent from session to session.
Neuroplasticity enhancement
A non-addictive neuroplasticity enhancer (an NMDA-receptor modulator, originally an antibiotic, not a sedative or mind-altering drug) helps the brain “lock in” the changes stimulation creates, supporting durable results.
What the published research shows
Accelerated, one-day TMS is early but rapidly growing science. The most directly relevant study to date is the ONE-D case series.
A single-day protocol for treatment-resistant depression
In this 2025 open-label case series (Vaughn et al., published in the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Journal), 32 adults with treatment-resistant depression completed a single-day theta-burst protocol with a neuroplasticity enhancer. All 32 completed treatment with no serious adverse events. This is early, non-sham-controlled research and was not conducted at Brain Centers; it describes the protocol’s science. Individual results vary and are not guaranteed.
AMPA One System · FDA clearance
The FDA 510(k) clearance summary for the AMPA One System, cleared for Major Depressive Disorder in 2025.
Read the FDA summary →The ONE-D case series
The peer-reviewed single-day TMS study in the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Journal.
Read the study →Accelerated TMS, reviewed
An overview of accelerated TMS, including Stanford’s SAINT/SNT work, in Nature’s Neuropsychopharmacology.
Read the review →Helpful to know before you start
Straight answers to the questions we hear most, so you or someone you love can move forward with clarity.
Is this right for me?
The protocol is designed for adults with depression, including those who have tried medication without full relief. A free consultation determines whether you are a good candidate, no obligation.
What to expect
Treatment is non-invasive and done while you sit comfortably, awake and alert. There is no anesthesia and no downtime, most people return to normal activities the same day.
For families
Supporting someone who is struggling is hard. We welcome family involvement and can walk you through options together, with discretion and care.
In crisis right now?
If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or dial 911. Please reach out, help is available right now.
Ready to see if one day could change everything?
A free 15-minute consultation is the simplest next step. No pressure, just answers.